Top Ten Christmas Movies

Here's one list -- whaddya think?
   (I'm still at a loss to understand why Bad Santa would be here...but hey, that's me.)

My Ten Favorite Holiday Movies (not in order of importance)


*The Christmas List:   Mimi Rogers has a boring, if busy life -- but a list to Santa Claus, of all the things she's ever wanted, or wanted to try, change her life. Not always for the best, it seems, either. I didn't want to like this movie -- but it's one I never miss each year.

*It's A Wonderful Life: Jimmy Stewart, a very strange angel named Clarence, and the chance to see what would happen if you never had been born. What more could one ask?

The Shop Around the Corner: The movie that inspired Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks' endearing You've Got Mail (which easily could be on this list, as well).  Two clerks hate each other on first sight...but have been falling in love via mail, at the same time. A charming picture of a small pre-war shop in New York City. (I know, it's supposed to be in Europe somewhere -- but it sure feels like NYC to me.)

*Scrooge: Albert Finney remains one of the best truly skinflint misers...with a humorous edge. The songs in this musical stay with you, especially "Thank you very much." And Bob Cratchit's buying expedition with 15 shillings ("FIF-TEEN shillings, mind you!") put Black Friday madness back into perspective.

*The Santa Clause:  Is there anyone whose family or friends haven't had to deal with the heartbreak of divorce during the holidays? The notion of a "revolving Santa" is intriguing, but it's the whole 'how do we do this peacefully' dilemma that really breaks my heart. Sad...and funny, too.

*White Christmas:  Along with Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, I watched this late night in a comfortable pile of sleeping bags, and cousins. The only problem: we could sing the songs, but never caught the title! It wasn't until college that I finally learned the movie's name. Great actors, lots of snarky side comments, ebullient music and dance. (Even some weird stuff, like "Choreography" and an  "Abraham" dance-down.)


*The Homecoming:  Where's Dad? He hasn't gotten home from the mill yet -- send Oldest Son out to look for him before it's too late. A Depression era family waits, and so do we. I love this simple, touching movie. It was also the first appearance of John Boy, and his family, the Waltons. (Note: Daughters mutually loathe it, and say it's corny. But hey, whose list is this?!?)


*Holiday Inn:   A restaurant/inn that's only open during holidays, Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby -- and a ton of jokes and side comments, along with the sparkling dance and music. I love, love, love this black-and-white celebration.

*While You Were Sleeping:  The cutest guy in the world falls on the subway tracks...and you save him, only to be mistaken as his fiancee. Spend your holiday with this quirky family, as well as the sweetest, most wistful heroine ever to wander into the subway. (Plus, Bill Pullman is kinda cute.)  For weeks after we see this, we wander around saying, "Was you leanin'??"


*Die Hard:  The perfect antidote for too much sweetness -- a vacationing cop who's the only hope for foiling a bunch of terrorists and saving a high-rise building...not to mention his wife. Bruce Willis brings just the right amount of humor and bravado to this frenetic romp. ("Whadja think -- I'm ordering a pizza!?) And Die Hard 2 is just as good -- not a common happenstance for a sequel, and something DH3 and 4 can't say.


Here's a more-or-less complete list of holiday movies...pick your own. And let me know what your list is!